Missed Calls
by donnag76
Summary: Missing moments scene from The Avengers because, no matter how many times I've watched it, I'm *still* bothered that Pepper missed Tony's call. I don't own them. If I did, I would be rich enough to retire and write fanfic all day long. Reviews appreciated, but, please, be gentle. :)
1. Chapter 1

Missed Calls

Chapter 1

"_Sir, shall I try Miss Potts?"_

"_Might as well"_

As soon as the words came out, Tony began to question his decision. It wasn't the fact that he didn't want to talk to Pepper, but quite the opposite. He wanted nothing more than to hear her tell him everything was going to be okay, like she had many times before. Only this time, he wasn't sure if even Pepper's calming voice could reassure him. This time, he was going to have to say "goodbye" and Tony knew he wasn't ready for that.

How exactly did he expect the conversation to go? "Hey, Pep, it's me. Listen, I currently have a cruise missile on my back and I'm gonna fly it into outer space. I'm probably _not_ gonna come back. You made me promise to let you know the next time I was dying. So…there." _Oh, yeah, _that _would work. Calm her right down._ Whatever he tried to say would only serve to make her cry and break her heart. Those were the two things Tony promised himself he would _never_ do.

He looked at the Caller ID picture on his HUD. He always heard that when the end came, your life flashed in front of you. To be honest, there was _a lot_ of his life Tony wanted to forget and some he couldn't remember. He was glad that the memories he saw now were of him and Pepper. The day they met...Seeing her when he got off the plane from Afghanistan...Their first kiss on the rooftop...Their last kiss in Stark Tower...Going to bed with her at night...Waking up beside her in the morning. These scenes and a dozen more flitted through his mind like his own private DVD, _This Was Your Life, Tony Stark _or, at least, the best parts of it.

All too soon, the picture began to distort. He saw the words "CALL FAILED." One last flicker and then Pepper was gone…before he had the chance to say "goodbye." J.A.R.V.I.S. tried to inform him the call did not go through, but lost power before he could complete the sentence. The missile was gone now, headed for its new target. Away from earth. Away from New York. Away from Pepper. Tony could feel himself falling.

In front of him, the Chitari mother-ship was being reduced to a cosmic fireball, but that wasn't the last thing Tony saw before everything went black. In the moment after his eyes closed, he conjured one last image…of red hair and blue eyes and a smile that changed his world. His barely-functioning mind thought of only one word.

"Pepper."


	2. Chapter 2

Missed Calls

Chapter 2

"Miss Potts? You have a missed call."

The sound of the flight attendant's voice finally made Pepper tear her eyes away from the television screen. "What?" she answered, half-annoyed.

"Your phone. It says you missed a call."

The young woman was holding Pepper's phone in her hand. Pepper snatched it from her and unlocked the screen. There, staring at her, was Tony's smiling face. She felt sick. She read the time-stamp and checked it against her watch. The call came while she was watching the news report. While Tony was… Pepper sank wearily back against the leather seat. The call came while Tony was carrying the nuclear missile. "Why didn't someone _tell_ me my phone was ringing?" she barked at the Stark Industries peons who had gone with her to Washington.

The rest of the people in the plane looked frightened. Their boss had never spoken to them in such harsh tones, even when they had made mistakes. "I…I didn't hear it, M-miss Potts," the young male peon admitted. "May-maybe it's on vibrate. From…from the meeting." He glanced at his co-worker for support.

One swipe let her know he was right. At the first reports of trouble, Pepper called an end to the proceedings and marshaled her contingent aboard the company jet. She left the meeting so abruptly she had forgotten to restore her ringer settings. That is why _Iron Man_ didn't blare like it usually did to let her know Tony was on the line. Although it was unlikely, she turned the ringer volume up to its maximum level in case he called again.

All she could do was stare at the phone in her hand. She missed his call. Pepper had made her living and gained a reputation as someone who kept it together in a crisis. So, her calm exterior belied the war that was raging within her. Her mind was going in about one hundred directions. _What did you want, Tony?_ She thought of the last time they spoke, his phone call from the S.H.I.E.L.D carrier.

"_I finished my homework," he cheerily announced as soon as she answered._

"_That's good," she said, groggy from being awakened. She looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was 3 a.m. and _no one_ should be _that_ chipper at 3 a.m. "You need to go to bed."_

"_I will…eventually. There are some seriously weird people involved in all this."_

"_The Avengers Initiative?"_

"_Well, that and this dude, Loki, who is trying to invade earth with alien warriors."_

"_Alien warriors?" There were times when Pepper didn't know if he was serious or just trying to be entertaining._

"_Yeah, but we're gonna try and stop him, so, it's all good."_

_Pepper knew he _wasn't_ joking. "Tony, promise me you will be careful."_

"_Hey, 'Careful' is my middle name."_

"'_Edward' is your middle name," she replied, not amused at his nonchalant attitude._

"_See…that's why I keep you around. I wouldn't even know my own name without you."_

"_Just take care of yourself until I can get there."_

"_Speaking of which, I recall a certain deal that was made… "_

_Realizing Tony had no intention of being somber, she said, "You're incorrigible."_

"_But, you love me anyway."_

"_That I do."_

"_I have a meeting with the rest of the Fab Four in a couple hours, so…" Tony was quiet for a minute then said, "Hey, Pep? You know I love you, right?"_

"_I know," she said gently, not missing his change to a more serious tone. "Get some rest so you can go save the world."_

"_Maybe…"_

"_Tony!"_

"_Okay. Okay. Slave driver! But only because it will bring you home sooner. Happy?"_

"_Ecstatic. Play nice."_

"_Always. Good night, Miss Potts."_

"_Good night, Mr. Stark."_

Pepper remembered listening for a few moments after he hung up. Her throat tightened as she thought it could have been the last time… NO! She _refused_ to let herself even think that. This was Tony, after all. Tony who _always_ found a way out. His question kept running through her mind. _You know I love you, right?_ Was that why he called? To say "I love you" just one more time? After his sudden revelation at the Expo concerning his near-fatal bout with Palladium poisoning, maybe he was going to tell her about facing another deadly situation. He had no way of knowing that it was unfolding live in front of the entire world.

"Miss Potts," the flight attendant said suddenly, "Look!"

Pepper turned her attention once again to the television. A news camera was showing a shaky image of the gaping hole over Stark Tower closing, but not before a human form fell from it.

"Unconfirmed reports are that the falling person is Tony Stark's Iron Man," a reporter's voice relayed. "His condition is unknown at this time and…"

"Mute!" Pepper said to the screen. Thankfully, it obeyed as the set in her office did. She may have to watch her boyfriend dropping to the ground like a rock, but, she didn't have to hear it described in vivid detail. _Why isn't he flying yet? Help him, J.A.R.V.I.S.! _Halfway between the top of Stark Tower and the ground, a huge green figure came and grabbed him mid-air. Pepper gasped audibly. The pair was lost from the frame and the camera went black. The last image she saw was the Iron Man suit draped like a rag doll over a large, muscular arm. From conversations about the Avengers, she knew he had been caught by the Hulk, who, according to Tony, was practically indestructible. This gave her _some_ hope.

"Call the airport and tell them I want the helicopter waiting when I land," she told the female peon.

"I don't know if they are authorized to release Mr. Stark's helicopter to…"

"I am C.E.O. of Stark Industries, so, technically, it is _my_ helicopter as much as it is Mr. Stark's. I want it ready to fly by the time I am. Do I make myself clear?" In her mind, she could almost hear Tony saying, _Whoa! Power down, Potts._ Pepper took a breath and changed to a more composed tone. "Just let them know I will need to leave as soon as we land."

Pepper put her phone in her lap and, laying her head against the headrest, closed her eyes, forcing herself to relax. With any luck, she would open them again and find she had been asleep and it was all a bad dream. She had no idea how long she had been sitting like this when she felt the unmistakable feeling someone was watching her.

"Um, Miss Potts?" Pepper opened her eyes and saw the employee she had just dressed-down standing near her chair. "I am sorry to bother you, but I thought you would like to know I just spoke with the helicopter pilot. He said he would be ready and waiting when you arrived."

"Thank you, …" Pepper replied with an apologetic look, realizing she didn't remember the girl's name.

"Jill, ma'am," she supplied.

"Thank you, Jill."

"You're welcome and, Miss Potts? I'm sure everything will be okay by the time we get there."

Pepper responded with a grateful smile. With all she had, she hoped Jill was right. After the girl left, she propped her chin in her hand and stared out the plane's window.

The New York skyline was barely on the horizon when the phone in her lap came to life. Heavy metal wasn't exactly Pepper's choice of music, but Tony had commandeered her new phone and configured a way to make the Black Sabbath tune his unchangeable ringtone. However, at this moment, those guitar riffs were the sweetest sound she could hope to hear. She gripped the phone with shaking hands. When she hit the ANSWER button, Pepper said the only word her overwrought mind could process.

"Tony?!"


	3. Chapter 3

Missed Calls

Chapter 3

The connection crackled and Pepper wondered if it was all some kind of cosmic joke. "Tony?" she repeated a little more desperately.

"You would think that if I called the girlfriend of the world's foremost technological genius, I could _at least_ get her Voicemail."

Tears pooled in her eyes and relief flooded her. "Well, maybe you _could_ if my genius boyfriend would invent a phone that could get a signal in space."

"Hmm. The Stark Phone. A phone that would get signal in space. That would make me a billion or two, especially if it had a self-sustainable battery. J.A.R.V.I.S., make a note." He paused a minute and said, "So...how've you been?"

Pepper wiped away the tear that rolled down her cheek and smiled. She didn't care if he _was_ joking about a life-threatening situation. Tony was alive and talking to her. "Better now." A comfortable silence passed while Pepper took in the fact that she actually had Tony on the phone. "I saw the fall."

"_Not_ my finest hour."

"But, you're okay?"

"Except for a few scratches, I'm fine. But, I will require _lots_ of hands-on TLC."

"I think I can handle that."

"That's what I'm counting on."

Pepper could almost see the flirty smirk she knew he was wearing. "I'm coming over as soon as I land. You're at the Tower, right?"

"Yeah, about that," Tony began hesitantly. "It got a little, um, what's the word I want here, uh,...trashed. Not the _whole_ thing. Just some busted windows and a couple of large, Loki-shaped holes in the middle of the living room floor. But, ya know, we could just toss a couple of rugs over 'em and...good as new."

"I don't care," she admitted. "Better it than the one with 'Potts' written on it."

"Gimme a sec, Pep. Hey! Secret Agent Man! I am on a _BUSINESS CALL_ here. This is my C.E.O. and I need it _QUIET! THANK YOU!_"

Pepper pulled the phone away from her ear while Tony was making his little "speech" and barely suppressed a chuckle. _Yeah. He's okay._

"Sorry about that," he apologized.

"I take it you have company."

"Yeah, you could say that."

"S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Who else? Listen, apparently I have to go be 'debriefed' by the Men in Black."

"Sounds interesting."

"Not nearly as much as when _you_ do it." His voice was dripping with innuendo.

"Well," Pepper said, matching his tone. "Be a good boy to the federal agents and I might."

"I am holding you to that. Hurry home."

"As fast as I can get there."

"I _really_ gotta go now. Love you!"

Tony was gone before Pepper could reply. She held out the phone and looked at the contact photo until it went back to her home screen. Wearily, she leaned back in her seat and stared at the ceiling. The adrenaline that had been fueling her was wearing off. She felt exhausted, but happy. The buildings in the distance grew closer and, before long, she would be back with Tony. The Stark employees and flight attendant were in other parts of the plane and she was enjoying the peace. The silence was broken, however, by the Captain's voice over the intercom.

"Miss Potts, we have a problem."


	4. Chapter 4

Missed Calls

Chapter 4

Tony Stark had two rules: He hated being handed things and he hated being treated like an idiot. So far, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who had invaded his Stark Tower apartment had managed to violate both of these repeatedly. Over the past God knows how long, no less than twelve different people had slid the same set of pages at him. He wrote the same story for each of them before having to sign the same documents over and over. If one more person asked him "Are you sure this is _everything_, Mr. Stark?" he wasn't sure he could be responsible for his actions. After the last interview, he walked back to the battle-scarred living room and sank onto the sofa.

Tony looked around the room. Thirty-six hours ago, his world was turned upside-down by one visit from Phil Coulson. He scrubbed a hand across his face. Stark Tower _had_ been Pepper's baby, her pet project since the Expo. Coulson's visit interrupted what was to have been a celebration of the building's success. What would she think of her baby now? He checked his watch. Even if she had just left D.C. when he called, she should be there. "J.A.R.V.I.S., has Pepper called since I've been talking to S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"No, sir. There has been no further communication from Miss Potts since your last call."

"That's too...something. Don't know exactly what, but _very_ un-Pepper. Is she _anywhere_ in the building?"

"Not that I can detect, sir. However, there are some parts that haven't been fully recalibrated since the damages."

Tony raked a hand through his hair. One possible solution passed through his mind. "What is the status of the Mark 7?"

"Very heavily damaged, sir. An estimated timetable is not a viable option at present."

"So much for going out to hunt her," he muttered. "Keep looking, J." Tony pushed himself off the couch and walked toward the wet bar. It was one of the few areas not cordoned off with yellow tape and teeming with unwanted guests. He didn't even want a drink; he just wanted to get somewhere reasonably quiet. Leaning against the counter and stared out the shattered window into the distance. "Where are you, Pepper?" he said aloud.

He wasn't sure how long he stood there when he heard a commotion over near the security elevator.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you in. This is a restricted area. Only authorized personnel are admitted."

Tony had heard the same spiel given to everyone from tv news reporters to the cleaning crew, so much so, he was beginning to block it out. People with clipboards, manilla folders, and microphones had been calling out "Mr. Stark" so much that he was immune to hearing it. But, something caught his attention, one word echoing over all the rest of the din.

"Tony!"


	5. Chapter 5

Missed Calls

Chapter 5

Automatically, Tony's head jerked to the direction of the voice. All he could see was a wall of dark suits. Then, he saw it...red hair bobbing to look around and over the people blocking her path.

"Tony?!"

"Get your hands off her!" Tony was moving toward the mob without a second thought.

One man broke away from the rest and met him, placing his hands on Tony's chest in an effort to stop his progress. "Mr. Stark, we are under strict orders that no unnecessary..."

Tony angrily slapped away the man's hands, pointing toward the elevator. "She _belongs_ here! Don't touch her! Don't you _dare_ touch her!"

"Our orders are..."

"_My_ name is on this building and _my_ money paid for it. I don't care who told you what before, NOW _you listen to ME_. Get them out of the way." There was no mistaking the seriousness in his face or voice. Wisely, the man gestured and the sea of agents parted. Forgetting any semblance of formality, Pepper shouldered past the pack and ran to Tony as fast as her stilettos could carry her. Tony went to her, enveloping her in an embrace he had no intention of breaking. At that moment, all aches and pains were forgotten. He wasn't tired. He didn't care about Loki or wormholes or the Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D. Pepper was with him, where she was supposed to be. "My god, Pepper," he muttered into her hair. "Did they hurt you?"

"No. I'm okay." She held him so close he could feel her tears on his cheek. "I was _so_ scared. I thought you were..."

"But, I'm not." Resting his chin on her shoulder, Tony looked to the group still standing near the elevator. "Uh, show's over guys. Go and find someplace else to practice your super-secret spy stuff. Seriously...we don't _want_ you here." He watched them disperse for a minute longer before he pulled Pepper far enough away from him to see her face. "Where have you been? I mean, it was, like, _hours_ ago when I called and you were already on the way back from Washington."

"Just before we got to New York, the pilot got word that all air traffic was being rerouted and we were sent to Newark," Pepper explained.

"Rerouted?"

"Yeah. Apparently some guy in a metal suit was flying around blasting aliens."

"He sounds _incredibly _brave."

"Incredibly _something_," she came back. "The air freeze meant I couldn't get the helicopter like I wanted and the cab ride took _forever_."

"_Cab ride_?" Tony let out a low whistle. "Must've paid a pretty penny for that."

"Yes, you did." Pepper turned in his arms without leaving his hold. "I see you redecorated."

"You noticed, huh?"

"Oh, yeah. The crime scene tape just adds so much." She looked at the people still milling around. "How long have they been here?"

"Too long."

"Fury never seemed too approachable, but, if you want them gone, why don't you tell Phil? I'm sure he would try and...Tony? What is it?"

Although he tried, Tony couldn't keep the sick feeling from the pit of his stomach and he swallowed to keep the bile from rising in his throat. "Uh, Pep. Phil's not here. He's...he's gone." One look let him know she was feeling sick, too. "Are you okay?" Pepper said nothing, just nodded mutely. Tony wasn't sure he believed her. Pulling her against his chest, he held her for a minute. When he finally pulled her away again, Tony gripped both her arms just above the elbow and looked directly into her blue eyes. "Listen to me, Pepper. You're here and you're okay. I'm here and I'm okay. Whatever else happened in all this, we will deal with it _together_." He ran his hands up and down her arms. In his heart, he knew that he was saying it to reassure himself as much as Pepper. Still, her silence concerned him.

"You're bleeding," Pepper finally said.

"Huh?"

Pepper touched her finger to a wound at his hairline and held it out in front of his face so he could see the red smear on its pad.

"Oh, that. It's hardly enough to worry about," he said, trying to downplay his injury.

"How did you get it?"

"Loki kinda threw me through the plate glass window. But, I'm _fine_." Tony could see Pepper wasn't buying anything. Sure it would work, he flashed her one of his "no worries" smiles. "You should see the other guy."

Pepper's response was to loose herself from his grip, take him by the hand, and lead him to one of the bar stools. "Sit," she instructed when he tried to get up. She retrieved a bottle of water from the wet bar's mini-fridge and used it to wet a cocktail napkin. With careful strokes, she began to dab his wounds and clean his face.

Tony quit trying to fight it and let Pepper work. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to relax for the first time in two days. Surrendering to her touch, he realized how much he was enjoying her tender ministrations. He _liked_ Pepper taking care of him. All too soon, she stopped. Part of him made Tony want to ask her to continue and he wasn't completely sure he didn't let out a small whimper.

"I don't think it did any permanent damage."

"Too bad," he said, forcing himself to open his eyes. "I heard chicks dig scars."

"Not this chick," she retorted. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"Pretty much all over." This was no lie. What wasn't sore from the fighting was hurting as a result of his fall and Hulk's catch. "I'm reasonably sure I have some bruised ribs. Wanna see, because I'd be more than happy to take off my shirt. Yours, too, if you want me to." He may have been trying to keep a straight face, but Pepper saw a familiar twinkle in his eye. He grabbed for the hem of his t-shirt.

Their moment was interrupted by an angry voice. "Mr. Stark! What is the meaning of this?!"

Pepper put her hand on his arm to stop him and mouthed the word "Later" before turning her attention to the person walking toward them, clutching a folder in one hand.

"I _demand_ an explanation!" he said, thrusting the object in Tony's direction.

"Agent Reece, what a pleasant surprise," Tony said casually. "Pepper, this is Agent Reece, the man in charge of the interrogation today. Agent Reece, this is my...my Pepper Potts." Calmly as ever, Pepper stepped in and intercepted the folder. She gave Tony her best "what have you done now?" look.

"Miss Potts, maybe you can get an explanation for _these_," Reece said. He waited until Pepper opened the folder and jabbed a finger at the papers inside. "What is the meaning of this? What exactly are those supposed to be?"

Tony peeked over Pepper's arms to look into the folder. "Oh. Those are my statements concerning the incidents of the past two days."

"They are _completely_ unacceptable."

"Why?" Tony questioned. "It is _exactly_ what you wanted, my description of what happened."

Pepper leafed through the papers. "Tony, this one is written backward, this is in French, and this is the story of the entire incident drawn out like a comic book." Her tone told him she wasn't accepting any of his tomfoolery.

"First off, there are NINE OTHERS that are perfectly fine. Do you have any idea how exhausting it is to tell the _same_ story TWELVE TIMES? Even for the government, that's too much. Second, give me _some_ credit for the French one. In my defense, it is an _actual_ language. I mean, _you_ even speak it."

"And the comic book?" Pepper prompted with a raised eyebrow.

"It was...okay, it was born out of sheer boredom, but I was about to go out of my mind. You weren't there and..."

She cut him off with what he referred to as her "Pepper look." "Mr. Reece," Pepper said, closing the folder, "leave these with me and I promise you will get them back."

"Thank you, Miss Potts. If you can guarantee..."

"I can assure you. They will be in acceptable form tomorrow."

"Except for the French one," Tony insisted. "It's legit."

"Tomorrow," Pepper repeated.

"Reece," Tony called to the agent as he was leaving. "Do you think your junior G-men can go invade someone else's privacy for a while? I have plans for this place tonight and, well, it's the _principle_ of the thing, ya know?" Agent Reece said nothing to Tony, but left the room in a huff. Tony looked to Pepper and said, "See what happens when you leave me?"

"Utter destruction?" she deadpanned, looking around the room.

"And _there_ is the sense of humor I love."

Pepper could only shake her head. She was too happy he was alive to stay mad at him. He was getting off the stool when she saw him wince. For all of his swagger, Pepper knew Tony would try to keep how hurt he truly was from her so she wouldn't worry. After all that happened, she _had_ to make sure he wasn't hiding something more serious, so she changed her tactics. "When you told Reece you had plans for the apartment tonight, were you meaning for business or pleasure?" she asked, dropping a sultry tone to her voice.

"Oh, business, of course," Tony said, not fully able to hide the fact he _completely_ enjoyed this change. "I have a 'debriefing' scheduled with my CEO and, we can't discuss company business with all these other people running around."

"I see."

"Why do you ask?"

"Sometimes it's hard to tell with you, Mr. Stark." Pepper picked up the bottle of water she opened to clean his face and took a sip.

"That's because, either way, you end up sweating and calling my name, Miss Potts."

Pepper choked slightly on her drink. Somehow, no matter how prepared she thought she was, Tony _still_ managed to surprise her. "Lacking a conference room, then, we should move this to a more private setting."

"Boardroom, bedroom. I've received praise for my work in both."

Taking him by the hand, Pepper pulled Tony in front of her. "Just get in there," she said, pushing him in the direction of his sleeping quarters.


	6. Chapter 6

Missed Calls

Chapter 6

"That's it! That's the spot! Right _there_! Don't stop! Oh…my…god! You are freaking _amazing_!"

"You are _so_ overdramatic," Pepper said, reaching for more liniment. "Now hold still." She made another pass across his back, paying extra attention to his shoulders.

"You play dirty, Potts. You know that?" Tony said, his words muffled by his face in his pillow.

"How else was I going to get you to let me see exactly how hurt you are?" she replied, setting the bottle on the nightstand. "Before you say anything, that was NOT why you offered to take off your shirt out there."

"The human body is a beautiful thing, Pep."

"I may just parade around in front of all of those S.H.I.E.L.D. people in my underwear then."

"Uh, _negative_!" Tony said, trying to rise from his prone position. "Okay...new rule. All clothes stay on at all times in front of anyone not already in this room."

"Agreed," she said, pressing him back down onto the mattress. Pepper had been familiar with Tony's body for a while. Even before they became intimate, a look or a touch let her know when something was wrong. She had become practically an expert is assessing the damage each Iron Man mission caused. While she read in the paperwork he had been evaluated by doctors, Pepper wouldn't be satisfied until she knew for herself. She worked silently for a while, the only sound being Tony's contented sighs. She smiled. Her mind wandered to the rest of the people involved in the fight. Who did _they_ have? Who would worry about their injuries? What about the ones who had died? Who would mourn for them? She couldn't help but think of a cellist somewhere in the Northwest she didn't even know. Her hands came to rest in the middle of Tony's back.

"Tony," she said breaking the silence, "how did Phil die?"

A brief stab of jealousy shot through him. Since when had they gotten so close? Almost instantly, he felt the pang of regret. This was Pepper, after all. What was he worried about? Mentally, he shook his head. _Nice job, Stark. Be a jerk, why don't you._ He would just laugh off any concern like always. Tony rolled onto his side, but any quip he would have made died on his lips when he saw the look on her face. "I don't know," he admitted. "Fury never gave any specific details, just that Loki was responsible."

"Oh," was her only reply.

Sitting up, Tony put a hand on Pepper's shoulder and guided her down to lay with him. They lay there for a long time, facing each other, saying nothing. "It's weird," Tony finally said, "but, Phil dying…that was what it took to get us focused. Kinda like that extra 'umph' we needed."

"He was a good man," Pepper said with a sniff.

"I _still_ don't know how much I trust Fury. I told Steve, I wasn't playing his games anymore. Phil Coulson was a good man, though. He deserved to be, well, avenged."

"Even though you acted like a jealous boyfriend when he came around."

"I did no-…okay, maybe a couple times, but, he _did_ have this bad habit of interrupting."

"He believed you were a perfect fit for the Avengers."

"As a consultant, yeah, but not as a member of the team."

"_Phil_ never said that. You said it was Natalie's report Fury used."

Sometimes, Tony hated it when she was right. "I have to ask. Why 'Phil'? Why wasn't it 'Agent Coulson'?"

"What do you mean?"

"That night, when we were celebrating, the night we lit up Stark Tower, you called him 'Phil.' Why?"

If pressed, Pepper would admit she hadn't given it much thought. It was one of those things that just happened. "He deserved it," she finally concluded. "He was never anything but respectful and I thought he deserved a little respect himself."

"I respected him. He took his job seriously, which is important, because he had a serious job. I admire that."

"You didn't always make his job easy. He did all the clean-up after the incident with Obadiah and then you get up and tell everyone 'I am Iron Man.'"

"Yeah. That couldn't have been good. I really *did* like him, though."

"I know you did."

"Even after all the grief I gave him, he kept coming back."

"He believed you were the right man to choose. The world needed another hero."

Tony fidgeted uncomfortably. "I'm not a hero," he insisted. "Maybe someone like Phil. People like that, _they_ are heroes, but not me."

"Whether you choose to accept it or not, you _are_ a hero. You're a hero because of _that_," Pepper said, laying her finger on his bare chest to the left of his arc reactor, "and I don't mean this thing that glows." She brushed away the hair that had fallen on his forehead. "I was so afraid I was never going to see you again. I don't remember being so scared…ever. Always before, you would fly off, do your thing, and I knew, sooner or later, you would be back. On the plane, seeing all that was going on, for the first time I didn't know if you would come back alive."

"Hey, I'm Iron Man, remember? I'll _always_ come back." Tony reached and gently caressed her cheek before he finished. "Especially now. I have someone to come home to."

"Were you scared?"

"You want the truth?"

"Always."

"I was. I knew what had to be done and I kinda did it without thinking, but, yeah, I was scared. I've never had this much to lose before."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Especially tonight you're not."

"How long has it been since _you_ had any sleep?"

"About twenty…seven hours, but we aren't talking about me. You're not going back to your room. You are staying here…with me. Don't make me pull rank, Miss Potts."

"Actually, I think _I_ am _your_ boss, Mr. Stark."

"Technicality. When it says 'Potts' on the lease, then you can give the orders. For now, you are staying right here."

Pepper smiled. She actually had no intention of leaving, but she liked "protective Tony." Slowly, the day began to catch up with her. She reached to take down her hair and met Tony's hand. "I'll do it," he said. Carefully, Tony loosened the clasp, tossed it on the nightstand behind her, and ran his fingers through her hair to finish freeing it. This simple act was Pepper's undoing. She wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt Tony pull her close and she let herself melt against him. Tony maneuvered them until he had Pepper resting on his shoulder. After tucking her head under his chin, he wrapped his arms around her and held her. Pepper let her hand wander up and down his naked back.

"I know that you find it impossible to keep your hands off my impressive physique, and I _never_ thought I would _ever_ hear myself say this to you, but, not tonight, Dear. I have a headache."

"I don't think I have the strength anyway," she sighed. Pepper felt the chuckle rumble in his chest. Tony pressed a kiss onto the top of her head and drew her close enough to eliminate all remaining space that separated them. Pepper lay in his arms, his breathing and heartbeat assuring her he _really was_ there. She thought of what he'd said earlier. No doubt, this entire incident would have repercussions for them both. However, neither would have to face them alone. Tony had told her to live in the moment. At _this_ moment, they were exactly where they needed to be.


	7. Chapter 7

Missed Calls

Chapter 7

Tony awoke to find something tickling his nose and a heaviness on his chest. Opening one eye, he saw that somehow, Pepper had managed to get him on his back and now lay half-sprawled on top of him. Her red hair spilled across his neck and shoulders. He gently brushed away the strands that were threatening to invade his mouth and nostrils. Both eyes now open, he assessed his situation. One arm was pinned to the mattress by his sleeping girlfriend. Careful as not to wake her, Tony reached for his phone with his free arm. He checked the time, blinking hard to focus. It wasn't quite morning, but they had been asleep for several hours. He placed his phone back on the nightstand and rubbed his eyes. However many hours he had slept, he felt like he could sleep that many more and still not be caught up. A soft breath blew across his chest and he looked at Pepper. Undoubtedly, she needed sleep as much as he did.

Tony took a minute to survey the mostly-dark room. Pepper's jacket lay neatly folded on the dresser, her heels standing beside it atop the manila folder Agent Reece had given her. His shirt was _somewhere..._wherever it landed when he stripped it off and tossed it aside shortly after entering the room. His shoes were more than likely under the bed, but he couldn't be sure. He hadn't paid much attention after he kicked them off. This scene said a lot about them and their personalities. He had been the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of guy, not one to make plans or worry about things like shirts on the floor. Pepper was his steady presence, his rock. If she awoke first, more than likely he would find his clothes folded as neatly as hers and right at-hand for when he needed them. For the better part of a decade, it seemed all she did was clean up his messes. Then came Afghanistan and the changes that experience brought. He began taking life more seriously. People were leaving him left and right, but she stayed. He had given her control of his company. Not only did Pepper run Stark Industries better than he probably ever could, but she genuinely _cared_ about it as much as he did. For the last two years, they had been giving it a go in a _real_ relationship. In this time, he came to realize it wasn't the RT that kept his heart alive. It wasn't metal armor that made him strong. It was the woman in his arms. It was this woman who, even in a rumpled business suit, no make-up, and tousled hair was _still_ the most beautiful person in the world to him. It was Pepper. It had always been Pepper. There was no way he could handle the coming weeks and months without her by his side. Tony would be the first to say she was largely responsible for the man he was now. His goal was to _always_ be a man Pepper would be proud of and never let her down.

Tony's eyes began to grow heavy. Before sleeping again, though, he needed to modify their current arrangement. He was starting to feel a chill and, if the cold nose pressed into his chest was any indication, so was Pepper. With a practiced move, he managed to get her completely on top of him. They lay like that for a minute, Tony allowing himself to enjoy it. It was becoming one of his favorite sleeping positions. The arm she had been laying on began to get back its feeling. As easily as he could without waking her, Tony took hold of the comforter and, holding her against him, rolled them over, cocooning them together in the middle of the bed. Pepper stirred briefly, nuzzling against his throat and resting her hand on his hip. Smiling, Tony tucked some stray hair behind her ear and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. He hadn't lied when he said he would always come home to her. New York, Malibu, Timbuktu…for Tony, home would be wherever Pepper was.


	8. Chapter 8

Missed Calls

Chapter 8

Pepper woke the next morning in bed alone. This disappointed her. She was hoping for a little more time with Tony before S.H.I.E.L.D. stole him away again. She realized she was tucked-in snugly with the comforter, which struck her as odd because she remembered falling asleep atop the covers. Despite the fact she missed Tony, Pepper was comfortable enough to consider going back to sleep. Those thoughts vanished when an unmistakable scent began assaulting her nostrils. Tossing off the comforter, she followed the smell through the bedroom and into the kitchen. Pepper stopped and took in the scene she found...Tony, bustling around like he'd been working in a kitchen all his life. She couldn't help but stare.

"Morning, Sunshine," he greeted cheerily.

"Morning," she replied, still staring. Although barefoot, he was wearing fresh jeans and t-shirt. He walked past her on his way out of the room, dropping a quick kiss on her lips and placing a steaming mug in her hands as he walked by. "You made _coffee_?" Pepper said incredulously.

"I made _breakfast_," he called over his shoulder. "Okay," he confessed, coming back into the room, "I _ordered_ breakfast, but the coffee...all me." Tony ushered her back into the main area and steered her onto one of the stools at the wet bar.

"Tony, what is this?" she asked. Pepper was beginning to think she must have slept harder than she thought because she was rather puzzled.

"Omelets," he replied. "Not as good as my homemade ones, but beggars can't be choosers. Eat up."

Before he could move away again, Pepper set down her coffee and grabbed Tony's hand. "I mean, _all of this_," she said, gesturing to the meal spread out before them.

"You don't like it," he said flatly, crestfallen like a child who realized he had made a mistake.

"No. I mean, yes, I like it, but...what _is_ it?"

Tony dropped onto the seat beside her. "A lot of stuff went down yesterday. Stuff I don't understand. Stuff I don't know if I will _ever_ understand. I just want to try and get things back to normal."

A light of understanding came into her eyes. She was reminded again of why she loved this man. Pepper brushed coffee grounds off his shirtfront. "I hate to burst your bubble, but this isn't normal," she said with a playful grin.

"It can be the _new_ normal," Tony countered with a confident nod. He pulled his plate towards him and dug in.

"So you are going to get up _every_ morning and make me breakfast by six before I leave for the office?"

"Well, if I do _that_," Tony said around a mouthful of eggs and cheese, "then it wouldn't be special."

"Uh huh."

"Your food is getting cold. Some minimum wage chef went through a lot of trouble to make that for you and I got up _pretty early_ to call in that order."

"Well, thank you both."

Tony gave a quick wink. _I could get used to this every morning._ "What's on your agenda for today?"

"I'm going down to the office and start damage control. I don't know exactly how much fall-out will get to _us_, but, I will handle it."

"That's why I chose you," Tony said with a proud smile. "You're the best."

"How about you?"

"Fury called…_way too early_…and said Thor is taking Loki back to face some kind of Asgardian Judge Judy for everything he did here. To do this, he will have to have the Tesserac. I'm meeting the rest of the team in a couple of hours to give it back."

"Whoa. Wait. _You_ have the Tesserac? How?"

"I took it out of that portal-maker thingy out there," Tony explained with a wave of his hand to the landing area.

"It's _here_?"

"Yeah. I hid it in the bedroom yesterday."

"Does anyone _know_ it's here?"

"Officially, no. Fury has to be kept in the dark because of the Council. Would it be a really bad pun here to say he has to turn a blind eye to what's going on?"

"Probably, but go on."

"Natasha texted me a time and place to meet." Tony swallowed half his orange juice and said, "It's kinda cool if you think about it. My old man is the guy who finds the Tesserac and I'm the one to give it back."

"Very cool." Pepper took one last bite and laid her utensils in her plate. "Thank you for breakfast." She rose and punctuated her gratitude with a kiss. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Ooh! I can help." Tony said, practically knocking over his stool getting to his feet.

"Uh, no."

"Why not?"

"Because the last time you 'helped,' I was late for a very important board meeting."

"Be honest. It was _so_ worth it, though," Tony countered in the low voice he knew she had trouble resisting. He gave her a look with a quirk of his eyebrow letting her know he knew she would have to admit he was right.

Letting the memory play in her mind, she smiled and a soft blush flushed her cheeks. "You have to get ready, too." Pepper's resolve was slowly fading and she knew she was grasping at straws.

"So, we double-up. The whole idea of this Tower is 'going green' and conservation and stuff. C'mon, Pep. Let's lead by example."

"This has to be a 'Pepper shower' and not a 'Tony shower.'"

"'Tony showers' are fun."

"They are, but, I don't have time for 'fun.' This one is to get clean, not..."

"Be dirty?"

"Exactly." Pepper was trying her best to ignore the smoldering look in his eyes when he said "dirty."

"I promise. I will just help wash your back and, um, possibly your hair. Scout's honor," Tony said, raising his right hand.

"What do you know about being a Scout?"

"I was a Cub Scout for, like, three whole weeks. I had the uniform, bandana, the whole nine yards. At least I did until they caught me in the cookie room kissing a Brownie behind a stack of Thin Mints."

"And they kicked you out for _that_? What _were_ they thinking?"

"I know. Some nonsense about me being a bad influence on the other children."

"You? I can't imagine."

"So the answer is…"

"Yes," Pepper relented, "_IF_ you hurry. Never let it be said that I kept a Scout from doing his good deed." She began walking towards the bathroom.

"This _totally_ _beats_ helping an old lady cross the street," Tony said triumphantly.

Pepper laughed. He fell into step behind her and put his hands on her hips. Something told her she was going to like this "new normal."


	9. Chapter 9

Missed Calls

Chapter 9

"Shall I try Miss Potts, sir?"

"I don't think so, J. She will be up when the meeting is done. Besides, we are having too much fun to stop now."

"If you say so, sir."

Tony smiled and made another correction on the computer screen in from of him. Thankfully, his more important equipment had been put away before he left for the S.H.I.E.L.D. carrier and escaped damage. Since returning earlier, Tony had managed to reassemble a computer workspace. He had been working feverishly for the biggest part of the day. All in all, he had been pretty productive.

Halfway through _Thunderstruck_, the music stopped. This could only mean one thing and Tony grinned. "No call to let me know you're coming home?" he said, not looking up.

"You couldn't have heard it over all that noise." Pepper stepped out of the elevator and into Tony's make-shift laboratory.

"I'll have you know that song is a classic."

"And yet, still not as good as _Back in Black_," she replied, making her way to where he was working.

"You have no idea how proud I am of you right now," he said, meeting her lips halfway for a kiss. "Keep it up and there will be an AC/DC t-shirt of your very own in your Christmas stocking."

"Which will go _fabulously_ with the Prada pumps that will be under the tree." She looked around at the work that had been done to the apartment. "Somebody's been busy."

"A lot of people, actually. The work crew just left a little bit ago."

"Did you get the Tesseract taken back?" she asked on her way to the bedroom.

"Yep," he replied. "Thor and Loki went zooming toward a galaxy far, far away not too long after I got there."

Pepper was tired. If Tony was working on a "project," then she could almost bet the company they would get the quiet night in they both needed. "Where did everyone else go?"

"I don't know. Steve took off on his bike. Clint and Natasha went wherever it is spy-type assassins go and Bruce is here."

"_Here_?!" Pepper said, a little alarmed. She was in the process of undressing, her jacket already off and her skirt soon to join it on the bed. She stuck her head out the door of the bedroom. "_Here_, as in he is in the apartment?"

"No, not _here_ here. In the building here. I told him he could come and hang out in R&D until he figured something out. That got me to thinking."

"About..."

"Places to go. C'mere. I have something to show you."

"What?" she said, making her way to where Tony had been playing with his computer modules.

"When we were leaving from meeting everyone, I asked Bruce where he wanted me to take him. He said he didn't have anywhere to go. I thought, what about the rest? I have this and the place in Malibu, but, where can _they_ go?" While he talked, Tony continued to work on his computer. "Steve's home was an iceberg for 70 years. Bruce has to settle for wherever he can hide. Thor can't exactly check into the Four Seasons when he's here. Clint and Natasha, what do they have? So, I sketched out some things on my phone and started working on it when I got back."

"You mean, like a headquarters?"

"Kinda, but more than that." Tony punched a few buttons on his keyboard. Almost instantly, the monitor was filled with images of what looked like a renovated Stark Tower.

"Wow!" Pepper said. "You made this on your smart phone?"

"It was on the phone I reconfigured, so, _technically_, I think that would make it a genius phone, but, the preliminaries, yeah." Pepper manipulated the module, turning it so she could see it from different angles. "There would be meeting rooms, a lab, hangar deck, places like that, but, there would also be separate living areas for everyone," Tony began to explain, "tailored to fit their individual needs. Pretty cool, huh?"

"Very."

"Our area would be the biggest and..."

"_Our_ area?"

"Well, yeah. 'Tailored to individual needs' and the thing I need most is you. All the rest is cosmetic."

"Very smooth, Mr. Stark," Pepper said.

"That's because it's the truth, Miss Potts," he said, snaking his arms around her waist. "Everyone needs a home, Pep. I've found mine. Maybe, I can help the rest find theirs."

"Anthony Edward Stark, you are turning into a responsible adult right before my eyes."

"Don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to maintain, you know." Tony flashed her that boyish smile she loved. "Want to see the whole thing?"

"Absolutely."

Tony dropped a kiss on Pepper's cheek before letting her go. He walked to an empty workspace and rolled out what looked like a black mat. He tapped a few places on the surface and digital blueprints of the different levels appeared. Pepper followed and stood beside him, watching Tony work with the plans. "You can do the honors. Just put your hand there and bring it up," he instructed. Pepper placed her hand where Tony told her. When she raised it, a full-color, 3-D image of the building followed. Tony had stepped to pour himself a drink from the blender behind them and rejoined her at the table. "Pretty sweet," he said proudly, rotating the image almost 360-degrees with a swipe of his hand. He showed her how sections of the model could be moved or removed in the same manner.

"It's amazing," Pepper said. She stroked his face gently and moved in for a kiss. "Have I said lately how proud I am of you?"

"Probably, but it bears repeating."

"I am very proud of you."

"Thank you, Miss Potts."

"You're welcome, Mr. Stark."

Tony pulled her in for another kiss. After the second kiss ended, he continued to hold her close. He knew his life would never be the same. Oddly enough, it hadn't been the Avengers or the aliens or even the near-death experience that made him realize what meant the most to him. It was a phone call, a phone call that didn't even go through. That missed call showed Tony _exactly_ what he would have missed.

**Author's note: So, this is the end. *sniff* I'm actually kinda sad about that. I really had fun writing it, which hadn't happened for me in a long time. A special thanks goes out to NCISVILLE for the suggestion and encouragement to turn a one-shot of Tony in space into Pepperony's journey to the end of AVENGERS. Thank you to everyone who took the time to review. I am still *amazed* that anyone would like to read anything I wrote, much less leave such wonderful comments and make it one of your favorite stories. I am humbled! It makes me want to write more. :D**


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